Containers, Brackets And Soil For Hanging Baskets

Brackets Etc.

All hanging baskets have to be mounted, and usually some form of wall bracket is required. To determine the size of the bracket, you need to calculate how wide the basket will be once it is planted up and mature, then divide this figure by two. This is the minimum distance it will need to hang from the wall so that the plants can be displayed properly. Look for sturdy brackets that will not buckle under the weight of the basket and that are made from rustproof material. Hanging baskets can also be suspended from hooks attached to the crossbeam of an archway or pergola or screwed to the ceiling of a conservatory (sunroom).

Other Types Of Containers

Apart from the traditional hemispherical shape, other types of containers are available. Your choice will often be determined by the type of plant you wish to grow. Orchid baskets are shallow, usually square and made of wooden slats. They are designed to allow plant roots to grow through and grip the sides. Orchid potting mix is coarse enough not to slip through the openings. The baskets are usually designed for indoor use and are not robust enough to stand up to the weather. Similar baskets are available for other tropical plants that need air around their roots, such as some ferns and cacti.

Ideas For Improvising

If you like to experiment, keep a sharp eye out for objects that were intended for quite different purposes but that can be used as hanging baskets. Antique birdcages are very beautiful and make a witty statement hanging from the branches of a tree. For a cottage kitchen look, use an old metal colander. These are particularly effective and appropriate for culinary herbs or other edible crops. Look out for them in flea markets and junk shops. Car sales and second hand stores are also a valuable source of unusual but usable hanging containers.

Different linings

What you line your basket with is a matter of choice. The traditional material is moss, but, like peat, this is not a renewable resource, and many feel that alternatives are preferable. Some products, often based on recycled sisal, look remarkably natural. Coir lining is sometimes sold in rolls or ready cut to fit certain sizes of basket. Convenient pressed cardboard liners are pre-formed to fit various sizes of basket. Remember that once the planting is mature, the liner will be all but invisible, so a material that at first glance looks a little unsympathetic will soon be hidden from view. This is especially the case with summer baskets.

Choosing A Compost

There are a number of different composts (soil mixes) on the market, some all-purpose, others tailored for specific needs. Loam-less mixtures, which are light, are usually best.

Loam-based compost. Is based on soil. It is high in nutrients but also heavy. It can easily be lightened by adding perlite or vermiculite.

Lime-free (ericaceous) compost. Is specially formulated for those plants that will not grow in limey conditions, such as many of the heathers and azaleas.

All-purpose compost. Is cheap and light to handle, but many are based on peat, which is not a renewable resource, and most gardeners now prefer to look around for more ecologically acceptable peat-free alternatives.

Peat-free compost. This is also an all purpose compost, but, for ecological reasons, is usually based on a renewable resource such as coir or bark.

Hanging Basket Compost. Is lightweight and often contains some water-retaining crystals and slow release fertilizers, but it may be peat-based. Orchids and cacti need specially formulated, free-draining, proprietary composts. Ordinary composts retain too much moisture and are not suitable for these plants.

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